Arachne — Complete eBook

Hermon clasped him in his arms with passionate affection,
and after confessing that he, too, felt drawn with
the utmost power toward Daphne, and urging him to
anticipate complete recovery instead of an early death,
he held out his hand to his friend; but Myrtilus clasped
it a long time in his own, saying earnestly:
“Only this one frank warning: An Arachne
like the model which Althea presented yesterday evening
would deal the past of your art a blow in the face.
No one at Rhodes—­and this is just what
I prize in you—­hated imitation more, yet
what would using the Arachne on the pedestal for a
model be except showing the world not how Hermon,
but how Althea imagines the hapless transformed mortal?
Even if Ledscha withdraws from you, hold fast to her
image. It will live on in your soul. Recall
it there, free it from whatever is superfluous, supply
whatever it lacks, animate it with the idea of the
tireless artist, the mocking, defiant mortal woman
who ended her life as the weaver of weavers in the
insect world, as you have so often vividly described
her to me. Then, my dear fellow, you will remain
loyal to yourself, and therefore also to the higher
truth, toward which every one of us who labours earnestly
strives, and, myself included, there is no one who
wields hammer and chisel in Greece who could contest
the prize with you.”

CHAPTER XV.

When the sun was approaching the western horizon the
travellers started.

Light mists veiled the radiant right eye of the goddess
of heaven. The blood of the contending spirits
of light and darkness, which usually dyed the west
of Egypt crimson at the departure of the great sun
god, to-day vanished from sight.

The sultry air was damp and oppressive, and experienced
old Philippus, who had commanded a fleet of considerable
size under the first Ptolemies, agreed with the captain
of the vessel, who pointed to several small dark clouds
under the silvery stratus, and expressed the fear that
Selene would hardly illumine the ship’s course
during the coming night.

But before the departure the travellers had offered
sacrifices to the foam-born Cyprian Aphrodite and
the Dioscuri, the protectors of mariners, and the
conversation took the gayest turn.

In the harbour of the neighbouring seaport Tanis they
went aboard of the commandant’s state galley,
one of the largest and finest in the royal fleet,
where a banquet awaited them.

Cushions were arranged on the high poop, and the sea
was as smooth as the silver dishes in which viands
were offered to the guests.

True, not a breath stirred the still, sultry air,
but the three long double ranks of rowers in the hold
of the ship provided for her swift progress, and if
no contrary wind sprang up she would run into the
harbour of Pelusium before the last goblet was emptied.

Soon after the departure it seemed as if the captain
of the little vessel had erred in his prediction,
for the moon burst victoriously through the black
clouds, only its shining orb was surrounded by a dull,
glimmering halo.